Key device for registers



R. M. HPKINS. KEY DEVICE FQB REGISTERS. APPLICATION man JUNE 12. 1919.

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UNITED vSTATESl PATENT CFFICE.

RICHARD M. HOPKINS, OE R''TI-IEREORD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN DISTRICT TELEGRAPH COMPANY, OFV JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORA- TION OF NEW JERSEY.

- KEY DEVICE FOR REGISTERS.

Application led June 12,

To all whom z'z? may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD M..Horx1Ns, a citizen of the VUnited States of America, and resident of Rut-herford, county of Bergen, and 'State oNew Jersey, havel invented a Key Device for Registers, of which theiollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements vin keys, or key devices, more particularly to the key devices or watchmens register conditioning devices designed to be used in connection with the watchmens register of a companion application by C; C. Johnson and R. M. Hopkins, Serial Number 303,393, filed June 12, 1919 and itself constituting an improvement on the register of the application of C. C. Johnson, Sr. No. 209,27 9, tiledv Dec. 28, 1917. According to the said Johnson system, the watchman is provided with a portable register having registry mechanism adapted to be actuated bythe watchman each time the latter reaches a station which he is supposed 4to visit; but the registry mechanismis normallylocked, and can be actuated only whenthe watchman has applied his register to a suitable key device, or conditioning device, of which thereis one at eachstation to bel visited. The,sev eral key devices are. preferably provided with means whereby they are differentiated one from another, and the mechanism o'l the register is such that actuation ot the registry mechanism at one station conditions that mechanism for actuation upon application to the next key device of the series.

lVhile the several key devices must be readily accessible, in the sense'that it must be easy to apply the watchmans register' thereto, yet the essential portion of the key device, or key proper, should be protected from the elements, and from accidental injury; hence it is desirable toprovide a suit- It is still more important that this essential portion, or key proper, shall be so protected that it is extremely diilicult, if not impossible, for the watchman, or other unauthorized person, to learn the actual construction of the key device, and in particular to learn the construction, size, and arrangement of those parts of. the key device which, by engagement with corresponding parts of the register, effect the release of the mechat is Specification of Letters Patent.

Patentedv Oct. 25, 1921.

1919. Serial No. 303,633.

further desirable that the construction of the key device be such that, if that device be taken apart by an unauthorized person, it shall be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to reassemble it again except by the aid of special tools which the unauthorized person is not likely to have available. In this way any attempt to learn the construction of the key device and so learn how to construct a lsuccessful imitation thereof, will be exposed. It should be stated that according to the Johnson system, the watchmans register must be applied to the several key devices in pro-per order; and if application of the register to any one key device be omitted, the register cannot be operated at other key devices of the system; hence if one of the key devices be dismounted or otherwise destroyed, so'as to be incapable of engagement with the register, the watchman cannot operate his register at other key devices of the system, but must at once announce the disablement of the key device; furthermore, the system is such that the watchman must, from time to time, transmit a signal to a central or supervising station, and cannot do this unless his register has been operated correctly at every preceding station of the system; so that if the watchmanfails to report the disablement of a key device, he cannot send in the required signal, and this in itself ex oses his delinquency.

ly present invention relates to means whereby the key device proper is protected and whereby, if it be tampered with, it falls apart so as to be incapable of operating in connectionv with the register; thus necessitating reporting its disablement, as previously explained. Iy invention consists in the novel construction of the key device proper,

. also in the novel construction of its protecting casing.

I will now proceed to describe my invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which one embodiment of my Fig. 3 a rear elevation thereof; Fig. 4 a

central longitudinal section thereof, and

Fig. 5 a transverse section on the line 5 5 Yso of Fig'l. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective elevationV of certain portionsV of the key device proper, illustrating the fall apart feature thereof. y f

The key device comprises a suitable base, 41, consisting ofrtwo separable parts, 4111 and 411. To this base is secured a protecting casing, or shell, 42, for protecting the key- Vdevice proper, 43. While of course the parto' be passed over the key-device proper, so

that certain pin tumblers carried by said key-shaft may be engaged and actuated by pin-tumblers 44 With which said key-device is provided. Also, the said shaft' ofthe register is provided with certain projecting lugs, to receivewhich the shell or casing 42 is provided with a slide-Way 46.

rlhe pin tumblers 44 are mounted, as is usual in pin-tumbler locks, in suitable pockets in which are springs 44a` tending to press them out. A suitablyperforated sleeve 45 normally retains them in their pockets.

The section 41a of the base is provided with screw-holes through Which may be passed screws to fasten` the section 41a to a Wall or other support. Said section 41a is also provided with an annular pocket 41a to ,receive the heads of these screws. The section 411 of the base has a flange 411 embracingsection 41a, and 411 is held to 41a by screivs 411.' The shell 42 is secured to section 411 by screws 42a, inserted from the rear side of 411. This shell 42 has a front flange 42 which closes the front of theshell except vfor the central opening for the insertion of the shaft of the register, and eX- cept for the slot, forming the front of the slide-Way 46, for the reception of the lugs of the register. Thereforawhile of necessity the shell must have a front opening for thereception of the register, still it makes access to the key-device 43 very diliicult, and

in particular makes it practically,impossible` to take a Wax impression off that key device. Furthermore, if a Wax impression Vshould be taken of the key device, almost inevitably one'or Amore of the tumblers 44 VWould be de.

pressed, and would remain stuck fast in the depressed position, due to adhesion ofWaX to 'the tumbler and to the sides of they corresponding perforation of sleeve 45. The construction of the register to be used with this keydevice is such that for the operation of the register, the action of the pintumblers on corresponding tumblers of the register is required; lhence if one of the tumblers of the key device remain stuck in depressed position the register Vcannot be operated.` rlhe shell 42 can be removed from j ing said base from its holding screws; moreover if the sleeve be removed the tumblers Will be forced out of their sockets at once by the springs behind them, as illustrated in Fig. 6, and Will drop down Within the shell. Even if the tumblers be recovered thence, it is almost impossible to replace them in their sockets, and then, While hold-l ing them in place, force-.backthe sleeve'45, 85 Without first removing the shell Y42. More-l' over, if the sleeve has been torn Yfrom its base, or from its holdingscre'vvs, evidence of tampering cannot Well be removed. It will be recalled that it has been stated previously that according to the system in which these key-devices are to be used, the register must be applied to the several key.-V devicesin proper order, and if operation of the register at anyV one key-device be omit- A ted, the register cannot be operated at other key-devices, nor can the required signal be sent in.V The Watchman has, at best, little time available lfor tampering With any one v key device. If he derange anyone key device, he can not send in the'required signal, at the end'of his tour, and immediate detection results.

The key device proper, 43, is provided at its inner end with .a rounded end 443a, and With a groove 431. It is mounted in a suitable orifice in base section 41a, and this'base section is provided With springs `47 Aadapted to engage groove 431 and so A,hold the key de-v vice in place. It isobviously an easy matlEer to attach these key devices proper to their ases.

It hasbeen stated above that this key de-` vice is intended for use in connection With a Y register of a certain applicationv by C. C. Johnson and R. M. Hopkins, Serial No. 303,593. That register comprises. a certainV tubular body Withprojecting lugs, the Whole being adapted for insertion into the key.de. vice of this application, the said lugs fitting into the slide-Way46 and the said'tubularv body passing over the spindle 43, and depressing thetumblers 44 .as it slides over the spindle. The said register is providedvvith certain vinternal tumblers, With vwhich vthe tumblers 44 of the key device coact. Vhat I claim isz- 1. A key-device such asy described,.com prising a fixed base havinga recess to receive the en'd ofv a spindle, and means in saidi130 recess to engage and permanently retain the spindle, and a tumblercarrying spindle adapted to be inserted into said recess.

2. A key-device suchas described, comprising ay fixed base having a recess to receive t e end of a spindle, and a tumblercarrying spindle adapted to be inserted into said recess, and spring means Within said rece-ss adapted to grip said spindle when so inserted and permanently retain it. Y

3. A lreyclevice such as described, comprising a fixed two-part bese, one member of which is adapted to be secured to a suitable support and is provided with a recess adapted to receive the end of a spindle, said member being provided with means for permanently retaining the spindle when so inserted, the other member of said base being arranged to cover said first member, and a tumbler-carrying spindle the end of which is inserted into said recess.

4. A key-device for registers such as described, comprising a stem and a support therefor, said stem provided with tumblerpockets, and pin tumblers yieldingly mounted in said pockets.

5. A key-device for registers such as described, comprising a stem and a support therefor, and .a shell surrounding said stem and having an opening in front for the insertion of the register, said stem having tumbler-pockets, and tumblers yieldingly mounted in said pockets.

6. A key-device for registers such as described, comprising a stem and a support therefor, and ay shell sourrounding said stem and having an opening in front for the insertion or the register and a guide-Way for the reception of alug of the register.

In testimony7 whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

RICHARD M. HOPKNS.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR EGKERT STEARNs, ETHEL N. RABAN. 

